Abstract: A switching system including a number of switching modules each having a plurality of access ports. Incoming and outgoing packet channels are extended between each switching module and an inter-module packet switch. Each of the switching modules includes both a packet switching unit and a circuit switching unit for switching information to and from the access ports. Each switching module further includes a control unit that controls the switching units and that generates inter-module control packets, and a communication interface that transmits inter-module control packets generated by the control unit on the incoming packet channel to the inter-module packet switch. The communication interface also transmits inter-module control packets received on the outgoing packet channel from the inter-module packet switch to the control unit.

Abstract: Communications between stations served by different time slot interchangers (TSI) nodes in a telecommunications network are made possible without the use of either an intermediate stage of time multiplex space division switching or central time slot allocation by an arrangement in which each TSI node is linked to every other node by a patent in which each nodes time slots are "broadcast" to every other node in the network. Each time slot word includes a data or address (D/A) field and a status (ST) field. The D/A field of the time slot word is made subject to interpretation by the contents of the ST field and indicates an encoded item of telecommunications information only when the ST field is "busy". When the ST field requests or acknowledges allocation of the time slot by a TSI, the D/A field respectively identifies the address of the target or requesting TSI.

Abstract: A time division switching system having distributed control processors is disclosed. The switching system includes time-slot interchange units having associated subscriber sets and conference circuits and a time-shared space division network for interconnecting the time-slot interchange units. Each of the time-slot interchange units and the time-shared space division network are controlled by separate control processors. In response to called subscriber set identifying information from a calling subscriber set, the control processor associated with the time-shared space division network completes standard communication paths through the time-shared space division network to connect the time-slot interchange units associated with the calling and called subscriber set.

Abstract: A time division switching system having distributed control processors is disclosed. The switching system includes time-slot interchange units having associated subscriber sets and a time-shared space division network for interconnecting the time-slot interchange units. Each of the time-slot interchange units and the time-shared space division network are controlled by separate control processors. In response to called subscriber set identifying information from a calling subscriber set, the control processor associated with the time-shared space division network completes the communication path through the time-shared space division network to connect the time-slot interchange units associated with the calling and called subscriber sets. The control processors in the time-slot interchange units then determine if communication path continuity is present between them before the subscriber sets are connected to the communication path through the time-slot interchange units.

Abstract: A time division switching system having distributed control processors is disclosed. The distributed processors exchange control messages and cooperate in the completion of talking paths between subscribers. Each control message includes an address portion defining the destination for the control message and is transmitted to a time-shared space division switch on the same time multiplex lines that speech representations are transmitted. Control messages are routed by the time-shared space division switch to a control distribution unit where the address portion is interpreted. When the address portion defines a distributed processor which controls the time-shared space division switch, the control distribution unit transmits the associated control message directly to that processor. Alternatively, when the address portion defines one of the other distributed processors, the control distribution unit transmits the associated control message to the defined processor via the time-shared space division switch.